LOS ANGELES, CA – A report by the Superior Court of Los Angeles County found that replacing money bail with individualized risk assessments improved public safety after its implementation, according to a news report by Santa Monica Daily Press (SMDP).
“One year after implementing the Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols, the data remains clear: having judges conduct individualized risk assessments for release decisions rather than relying on an arrested individual’s ability to pay money bail has improved public safety,” said Presiding Judge Sergio C. Tapia II.
“One year after implementing the Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols [PARP}, the data remains clear: having judges conduct individualized risk assessments for release decisions rather than relying on an arrested individual’s ability to pay money bail has improved public safety,” said Presiding Judge Sergio C. Tapia II, wrote SMDP.
The court’s analysis found that, under PARP, low risk individuals are more likely to be released before arraignment compared to those posing significant safety risks, said SMDP, adding the court’s Management Research Unit analyzed data from the PARP to compare outcomes before and after PARP was established in October 2023.
The court’s Management Research Unit found that the per-booking rate of new criminal activity dropped from 15 percent under the previous system to 12 percent under PARP—a one-fifth reduction in the rate of reoffending, reported SMDP.
“PARP has effectively replaced a wealth-based bail system with a new system that balances the need for public safety with the constitutional rights of the accused,” said Executive Officer/Clerk of Court David W. Slayton, according to SMDP.
Under PARP, individuals arrested for non-serious, non-violent offenses may receive a citation from law enforcement and be released immediately, be booked and fingerprinted before release, or have their case reviewed by a magistrate judge, said SMDP, noting the report suggests chances of being held until arraignment correlate with an individual’s risk score based on criminal history or other circumstances.
The SDMP asserts that analysis shows a clear pattern: 57% of those with high risk scores for new criminal activity were held by magistrates, compared to just 21% of low-risk individuals.
“The Court’s move away from money bail, coupled with judicial decision-making, allowed newly arrested people to leave jail and return to their communities before their arraignment without compromising public safety,” SMDP wrote.
The SMDP account noted the number of people held by magistrates decreased by 44 percent under the new system, dropping from 3,206 to 1,790. One consistent finding across both systems was that about 40 percent of all bookings remain ineligible for pre-arraignment, indicating that the most serious offenses are handled the same way regardless of the bail regime.
This reform follows a May 2023 court injunction in the case of Urquidi v. City of Los Angeles that prevented the Los Angeles Police Department and Sheriff’s Department from demanding cash bail for low-level offenses, reports SMDP in its coverage.
The SMDP story said the report states the PARP implementation follows a pilot program established in 2020 by the governor, legislature, and judicial council of California, which was the PREP (Pretrial Risk Evaluation Program), but under the current system it is reported that serious and violent felonies remain subject to the traditional money bail system.
The report states, “Increasing the number of newly arrested people who can leave jail to continue their lives—without compromising public safety—seems a tall order…But a radical new approach to bail, coupled with data-informed judicial decision making, has accomplished that in Los Angeles County,” reports SMDP.
